17 game-changing milestones no one ever talks about

My little baby girl is now 1 year old. As I look back over the last year my mind is swimming with milestones, but probably not the ones you’re thinking of.

Sure, first smile, first laugh, first steps, those are thrilling moments parents always remember. But the milestones that happen between those biggies are the ones that really change things.

I'm talking about the moments that sneak up and either bite you in the butt or make you jump for joy. They will change the course of your days and weeks and keep you on your toes, constantly trying to figure out the new normal.

Here are 17 milestones that don't get nearly enough press.

1. The day your baby takes over as paci-master. For the first few months, YOU are in charge of popping that thing back in every single time it falls out, whether it’s 3pm or 3am. And it falls out a lot. The day your baby reaches out, grasps the pacifier and puts it in her own mouth is one for the books.

2. The day you change your first huge poop blowout away from home. There’s something that changes in you the first time you unintentionally slide your hand into a huge pile of sticky, gummy poo with no sink or soap anywhere in sight. At first, you’re paralyzed, mouth wide open, breath held. Then you say things like uhhhhhhhhh and ummmmmm and other things that make absolutely no sense but buy your mind some critical time to process what has just went down. And when it does, you will turn from a deer in headlights into a steely-eyed cross between MacGyver and Harvey Keitel in Pulp Fiction and you will figure it out. And you will never be the same.

3. The day the spit up stops. Not being barfed on 100 times a day is a beautiful thing. I’m sure not barfing 100 times a day is too.

4. The day you realize your baby won’t break. Anyone who has tried to dress or bathe a baby in the first month of life knows exactly what I’m talking about. The moment when you realize you just washed your baby's hair or whipped a shirt over her head without even thinking, you know you’ve got this.

5. The day you can carry your baby on your hip. Those early weeks between birth and head control can be agonizing. Your life will change the day you can fling that child up to the good ol’ hip you’ve been building your whole life.

6. The day your baby throws her first all-i-want-to-do-is-dance-all-night party. Hooray! Your baby can now pull herself up. She just can't let herself down. But hey, you can, so why not do it all night long?

7. The day you actually stop worrying about whether or not the baby is breathing. Oh, wait. That never happens. Sorry.

8. The day your baby encounters a balloon or bubbles for the first time. Get your camera. It's gonna be good.

9. The day your baby eats real food. Things are just plain easier when you get to nix the jars, spoons, pouches and bottles and give your babe little bits of whatever is safe to eat from your own plate. Plus, it’s fun to experiment with different foods and start to build your baby’s palate too. Just don’t let your neighbor give the baby a jalapeño. Not that I would do that or anything.

10. The day your baby learns how to take a selfie. Why is this game changing? Because it means you’re starting to move from just taking care of your baby to having fun with your baby and figuring out her personality! It also means you need to start hiding your phone.

11. The day you switch from the baby carrier to the convertible car seat. (a.k.a. the darkest of all days) If you’re an errand runner, nothing will be more devastating to your productivity than the day you give up that blessed infant carrier. Actually having to physically remove a sleeping baby out of a car seat over and over again to run in and out of stores? Forget it. Just use Amazon.

12. The day your baby switches to whole milk. Recently a friend said switching from formula to whole milk is like getting a raise. Looks like drinks are on me.

13. The day your baby can hold her own bottle. Yes, this one is a close cousin to the day your baby becomes paci-master. But it is most definitely worth game-changing status all on its own. My other children would never get to school if Kate hadn't taken over like a champ.

14. The day you end up in the ER. We lived at the ER with our two boys. For Kate, I really thought we were going to make it a whole year without setting foot in the ER but alas, at 11 months fever struck and I found myself filling out forms and watching bad TV in a room of sickies. When this happens to you, just know one thing – you can do it. Bring snacks and toys with you and do your best to stay calm. Oh and make sure you soak up every last amazing cuddle from your little one while she'll let you.

15. The day your other children realize the baby is there to stay so they may as well get a head start on a lifetime of torture.

16.The day your baby can ride in a shopping cart all by herself. This one may have been a bigger deal to her than me. She kicked her legs and laughed like she was the queen of the produce aisle. And I loved getting my shopping cart back.

17. The day you know for sure your baby loves you more than anyone or anything. When your baby reaches for you like her life depends on it or stops crying and nuzzles your neck the second she's in your arms, that, my friends, is bliss. That is love. That is why we do this.

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